The Wu Xing Shield
by DragonNutt
Summary: Raimundo is finally the team leader, but his problems are hardly over. While Hannibal Bean plots revenge, the Xiaolin monks encounter strange visitors, ruthless villains, and unexpected betrayals. All the while, a foe stronger than anything they've faced before gathers its strength...
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

_"Now that you have risen to Shoku Warrior, your job has only begun. The survival of the world depends on you."_

As the Heylins lined up at the Xiaolin Temple doorstep, Raimundo tossed aside his bandages and led the charge into battle. In response, Hannibal Bean called out, "Heylin army, destroy them!"

Many of the villains charged in obedience, but not all. Wuya leaned forward, but Chase Young grabbed her arm and snarled to her, "We do not take orders from vegetables."

Raimundo sent a flying kick at Tubbimura, knocking him back like a bowling ball. As the ninja rolled, knocking over Le Mime and Chameleon Bot, Katnappe jumped around and lunged at Omi. Meanwhile, while Clay squared off against Cyclops, Jack Spicer yelled, "Jackbots, attack!"

The Jackbots rose upward, and Raimundo glanced at Kimiko. "You got this?" he called.

Kimiko smirked. "I got this." She ran past him and met the Jackbots head-on. "Wudai Mars Fire!"

Raimundo spotted Hannibal Bean's parrot circling overhead, and he grinned. Filled with newfound confidence, he had a plan to take down the Heylin mastermind for good.

"Wudai—or, no—Shoku Wind!" He pointed the air current upward. At the unexpected swirling gust, Ying Ying shrieked. She beat her wings, but the wind had her trapped.

"Dojo!" Raimundo said. "You got either of the yoyos?"

Still perched on Master Fung's shoulder, Dojo called back, "Uh, I think it's rattling around here somewhere…" He hit the side of his head, and a miniature Yang Yoyo fell out his ear. It expanded to full size when it landed in his scaled hand.

"Toss it!" Raimundo shouted. Dojo flung the Wu into the fray, but Katnappe intercepted with a leap, meowing with glee as she landed. Raimundo gritted his teeth, releasing the parrot to go after the cat girl.

"Clay, catch her!" he shouted.

The cowboy glanced at Katnappe as she passed, and he managed to fling out an arm to wrap her in a bear hug. Rai jumped over Vlad, running toward them. Clay pulled the yoyo from Katnappe's hands and tossed it to the new leader.

As Raimundo skidded to a stop in front of them, yoyo in hand, the cowboy said, "The parrot can get out of the Ying Yang world, remember?"

"Yeah, but let's see if it can get out of this," said Rai. Whirling around, he thrust another Shen Gong Wu forward and shouted, "Sphere of Yun!"

Ying Ying screeched again as the sphere enclosed around her. Upon her back, Hannibal Bean shouted, "Don't you dare, boy! You can't trap Hannibal Roy Bean!"

"Watch me, Musical Fruit," said Raimundo. "Yang Yoyo!"

He released the yoyo in front of him, creating a portal right below the falling Sphere of Yun. Hannibal Bean roared as he dropped, once again, into his old prison. The Shen Gong Wu hit the foggy ground, and the Ying Yang world's magic took effect, transforming the Wu from a simple sphere into a black cell. The bird shrieked and beat her wings against the prison walls. The battlefield above faded and disappeared.

Trapped in the darkness, Hannibal Bean hissed, "No need to fret, Ying Ying. They can't keep us here forever. You and I both have powers of which they never dreamed, and we _will_ break free. Even if it takes years, we will make the Xiaolin Warriors pay…"

* * *

Author's Notes:

**Credit for the cover image goes to kklemms on Tumblr.**

So basically, this is my idea for a Xiaolin Showdown sequel. I like Xiaolin Chronicles well enough, but for plot-related reasons, this story will be an alternate universe from Chron.

With that said, Ping Pong will be in this fic, but he will be the only part of Chron that I'm incorporating. I considered bringing in Shadow as well, but I honestly don't have anything for her to _do_. That may change in the future.

Please feel free to critique and review! This is going to be a long fic, probably novel-length, and any suggestions for improvement are welcome!


	2. Not-So-New Monk on the Block

_One year later…_

"The Shi Tan Whisperer allows you to communicate with anyone in the world," Dojo said as they soared over the peninsula of Mexico. "It can be especially useful to contact someone in a crisis… like when you can't remember where Dashi left your special dragon shampoo…"

"So it's a cell phone?" asked Kimiko, glancing up from her PDA.

Dojo frowned. "It's not a cell phone! It's completely different!"

"Sounds like a cell to me," said Clay with a shrug.

"Dashi must have been far in front of his era!" said Omi, nodding and beaming.

"I think you mean 'ahead of his time,'" said Rai, rolling his eyes.

"It's not a cell phone!" said Dojo. As they landed, he added, "Shen Gong Wu have excellent service. No dropped calls in all history."

"I am inclined to believe you, Dojo," said Omi, "but perhaps we shall discuss this later?" He pointed upwards. "We have our usual unwelcome company."

Buzzing down to meet the monks from his helipack, Jack Spicer shouted, "That's right! The Prince of Darkness has arrived. Cower in fear before my new Cactus-bots!"

An army of robots descended upon them, brandishing barbed torsos and swinging spiked arms.

"Think we need any Shen Gong Wu?" asked Clay, raising an eyebrow at Raimundo.

"Nah," said Raimundo, scanning the field. "There are only thirty of them." With that, the four lunged into battle.

As usual, the warriors had no trouble with the Jackbots. Although Raimundo was still the team leader, Clay and Kimiko were now both Shoku Warriors as well. Clay had risen rank a few months ago after saving the team from a rampaging chimera. Kimiko had joined them shortly afterward by stopping Jack's plan to hack into all the world's computers.

Omi was still at Wudai rank. He tried to keep quiet about it, but his annoyance with the fact bled through during his battles.

"Lion Biting Rooster!" he shouted, charging at a robot and smashing it. He jumped out of the rubble, but his shirt got snagged in one of the Cactus-bot's spikes. Losing balance, he fell over, and another bot grabbed his leg. As it flung him across the sand, Raimundo lunged forward and broke it in two with one kick.

"Don't worry, little dude," said the Dragon of Wind. "I got your back."

"I am quite capable of fighting my own battles, Raimundo!" said Omi, standing up and tossing one robot behind him to crash into another. "Remember last week's incident with Katnappe's new Bengal kittens?"

"There's a bunch of robots coming in from the shoreline," said Raimundo. "Kimiko, take them out!"

Kimiko ran after the robots, and Omi said, "I was already fighting those bots!"

"I know, dude, but I need you looking for the Wu."

"I can do both!"

"Omi, would you listen to me just once?" said Raimundo. As the two argued, Jack Spicer dove down and snatched up what looked like debris from the shore. He lifted it up proudly, and the sunlight gleamed off its surface, revealing a crescent-shaped Shen Gong Wu.

"Aha!" he said. "Check it out, Xiaolin Losers! The Shi Tan Whisperer is mine!" Summoning the silver Wu, he held it to the side of his head and said, "Hey, Chase, guess what? I beat the Xiaolin Monks! Like taking candy from a baby!"

Echoing over the sand, Chase Young's voice answered in a snarl, "If you don't drop the Shi Tan Whisperer right this moment, Spicer, I will find you, and it will not be a visit you enjoy. Do not ever use it to speak to me again."

Frowning, Jack pulled the Wu away from his ear and studied it. "Guess he was busy."

Kimiko chose the moment to lunge at the crestfallen evil boy genius, kicking the Shen Gong Wu out of his grasp. The Shi Tan Whisperer glittered as it fell in an arc, landing in Clay's outstretched hand.

"Quite the litter bug, ain't you, Jack?" said Clay.

"Huh?" said Jack.

"Sure, just look at the mess your robots made," said Rai, stretching out his arms over the battlefield, where the Cactus-bots lay in scattered pieces across the sand.

Jack gave them all a scowl before he buzzed away, his helipack sputtering a bit.

"Nice kick, Kimiko!" said Raimundo, giving the Dragon of Fire a high five. He glanced over to Omi, his smile dropping. "But come on, dude. You could have had the Wu before Jack if you had just done what I said."

"If _I_ were leader," said Omi crossing his arms and clenching his fists, "I would give suggestions, not _orders_."

"Well, you're not the leader, Omi," said Raimundo. "And come on. I don't give orders."

"You sort of did, though, partner," said Clay.

Raimundo sputtered and gawked at the cowboy. "He didn't have to obey it," he said.

"Then why are you mad that he didn't?" said Kimiko, raising an eyebrow and smiling a little. At Raimundo's stammer, she added, "Don't worry about it, Rai. Just tone down the bossiness a bit. We can handle ourselves."

Raimundo frowned. "I'm bossy?"

Omi opened his mouth to retort, but Clay cut him off, "I reckon 'overprotective' is a better word."

Omi huffed. "He is both, and neither are good qualities of a leader."

As Raimundo struggled for a response, there was an odd booming sound from above. The four looked up in confusion.

"Was that thunder?" said Kimiko.

"But there ain't a cloud in the sky," said Clay.

Squinting into the sunlight, they watched a small dark figure start to fall. Raimundo called for the others to dodge. Out of instinct, he grabbed Omi and threw him back, but before he could leap away, there was a thud and scattering of sand.

Coughing at the rising dust cloud, Rai turned. Then he paused and blinked.

Sitting up in front of him, a familiar nine-dotted monk rubbed his eyes. As the dust settled, it revealed a glaring difference between the newcomer and the monk they knew: this Omi wore black Shoku leader robes.

Rai's mouth fell open. The newcomer blinked up at him. Eyes widening, his mouth opened, too, but he said nothing.

"Omi?" Raimundo asked.

The former Omi—_their_ Omi—gasped at the sight of his doppelganger. "Another me! And I'm team leader!"

The new Omi did not take his eyes off the Dragon of Wind, the only other monk clad in the black robes. He finally murmured, "Raimundo? You're—" Suddenly gulping, he glanced around.

"What? I'm what?" said Raimundo, frowning.

"It worked," the new Omi said.

"What worked?" asked Kimiko. "Are you another Omi? Where did you come from?"

"I'm guessing a parallel universe," said Clay, tilting his hat to get a better look.

Other Omi gulped again, glancing at Raimundo once more. "Oh. Yes. That would be correct, Clay. I am from another universe."

"How did you get here?" asked Dojo, peeking out from Clay's hat.

"Ah," said Other Omi, standing up and looking away from Raimundo. Facing the other monks, he said, "I was thrown into this universe by my version of Jack Spicer. You have him here, too, yes? In order to return, I will need a Shen Gong Wu called the Cosmic World."

"The what now?" asked Raimundo.

Other Omi blinked up at Dojo. "Do you not have such a Shen Gong Wu?"

"Never heard of it," said the green dragon, raising an eyebrow.

Other Omi groaned, placing a hand over his mouth. "It doesn't exist here? This is most troubling. How shall I get back?"

"Look, maybe some explanations are in order," said Kimiko. "Why don't we get you back to the temple to figure this out?"

"Sounds like a plan to me," said Clay. As Dojo grew to his larger size, the five monks hopped aboard, and the dragon took off for the Xiaolin Temple.

* * *

The new Omi stared at his twiddling thumbs at one end of the kitchen table, not paying much heed to the lunch in front of him. Every now and then, he would lift his eyes to stare at Raimundo. Their Omi—regular Omi?—sat next to Other Omi, barely able to contain his excitement.

"You must tell us all about the parallel world from which you came!" he said. "How did you become the leader? What villains do you face? I am sure you are always victorious!"

"My world?" Other Omi shrugged. "It's mostly the same. Just a few… differences…" He stole another glance at Raimundo, who gritted his teeth.

Shoving his fork into his pasta, Raimundo glared at Other Omi and said, "I don't know why it's such a huge shock to see me as leader here, but it's rude to stare, you know."

"Oh!" said Other Omi. His gaze went back to his entwined fingers. "No, that is not at all why…"

"So how else is your universe different?" Clay said. "Other than leader, I mean?"

"It is, um, rainier, I suppose," Other Omi mumbled. He shifted nervously in his seat, and then he looked up with a rather fixed grin. "But enough about me! What is your universe like?"

"Well, as you have most certainly noticed, I am not leader," said Omi, "so we do struggle against our foes." Raimundo grumbled something, and he added, "But Raimundo does his very best! Despite his flawed leadership methods, we are almost always victorious!"

The footnote did little to help Raimundo's darkening mood. Other Omi glanced back at the Dragon of Wind, biting his lip as his thin eyebrows furrowed. Absentmindedly, he asked, "What Shen Gong Wu have revealed themselves lately?"

"Quite recently, we won the Shi Tan Whisperer from Jack Spicer— He was distracted because he used it to call Chase Young—"

A sharp intake of breath from his black-clad counterpart made Omi pause. He asked, "Do you fight Chase Young in your universe as well?"

There was an odd expression on Other Omi's face. He shrugged and said, "Chase Young? Oh, no, we defeated him months ago."

Silverware dropped to the table, clanging against plates as all four monks' mouths fell open. "You_ what_?" asked Kimiko.

"You defeated Chase Young?" said Raimundo.

"How?" asked Clay. "We've been trying to take out that dirty snake for years!"

"No doubt you fought a glorious battle, and then you showed him the error of his evil ways?" Omi said, leaning forward.

Other Omi gripped the table, looking uncomfortable. "It was, uh, not quite like that. I hardly fought gloriously. It was a team effort; I barely did anything."

Kimiko leaned toward Clay and whispered, "I never thought I'd see Omi acting humble."

"Reckon that played a part in his becoming leader," said Clay. Raimundo grumbled again.

"Have you defeated other villains as well?" asked Omi.

"There must be _something_ keeping you on your toes," said Raimundo, stabbing the fork into his lunch.

"A few villains tried to fill Chase Young's socks," said Other Omi, ("Shoes," said Raimundo,) "but none prevailed. Jack Spicer is the only villain we still face, and he is not much of a problem anymore."

"That's great!" said Kimiko.

"Yeah," said Rai, looking down at his plate.

"I suppose," Other Omi said, avoiding everyone's gaze.

"You should give yourself more credit!" said Omi. "You must be a truly flawless leader to be so much more successful than we are. I have tried to convince Raimundo that I would make a better leader, and here you are as proof!"

Raimundo snorted and stood, chair scraping. Hands in his pockets, he walked out the kitchen. Other Omi watched him go, face falling. He turned to his counterpart. "It would do you well to appreciate Raimundo's efforts. He is _your_ leader, after all."

"But I am right, am I not?" said Omi. "You are the better one!"

"If you are anything like me," said Other Omi, "then you appreciate complete honesty, correct?"

"Of course!" said Omi.

Other Omi leaned so he was eye-to-eye with his counterpart. "You would make a terrible leader."

Omi's mouth dropped open as his doppelganger scooted back his chair and made his way for the door. Finally, he said, "But I'm you!"

Other Omi paused, one hand gripping the doorway. Without turning to look back at them, he said quietly, "Yes, I suppose so."

Outside, Raimundo leaped across the obstacle course, swinging the Sword of the Storm. Bounding from bamboo stalk to monkey bars, he spun and slashed at the wooden mannequins. Other Omi stepped out onto the field, watching the other leader with fingers twiddling.

"You are training for something?" he asked. Raimundo only acknowledged him with a huff. Other Omi said, "I believe there is a possibility that I have upset you somehow. Please rest assured that doing so was not my intention."

"You didn't upset me, dude," said Raimundo. He landed next to Other Omi but still would not look at him. He pointed his Sword at the mannequin farthest away, squinting one eye shut as he took aim.

"I wish to believe you," said Other Omi, "but your refusal to look at me suggests that you are not telling the truth—"

"How am I different?"

Other Omi blinked. "I do not understand the question."

"The other me," said Raimundo. "The one in your universe. How is he different? Is he stupid? Lazy? Unambitious? What is it?"

Other Omi stammered for a moment. "He's… he's the same, really. He's a hero. My best friend."

The Sword of the Storm lowered, and Raimundo's shoulders sagged for a moment. "So the only thing keeping our Omi from replacing me is his ego? I'm not even a factor here?" His shoulders stiffened again, and he scowled. "Great. That's just—" He swung the sword. "Great." The wind summoned from the Sword lashed out and struck the distant mannequin, lopping off its torso.

Other Omi said nothing. Wrapping his arms around his stomach, he stepped back into the temple. Reaching the kitchen, he said to the other monks, "I have figured out a way to return to my world."

"Really?" asked Kimiko. "That's great! What's the plan?"

Other Omi's shoulders stiffened, and he said, "I need the Rio Reverso."


	3. Two Leaders

"The Rio Reverso?" asked Dojo.

"It has the ability to return anything to its original state," said Other Omi.

"We know that, little partner," said Clay. "But why do you need that Shen Gong Wu in particular?"

"It is quite powerful. With it, I believe that I can bargain with Jack Spicer to return me to my universe. It no longer exists where I am from. Do you have it?"

"It used to be in the vault," said Kimiko. "But I think Jack stole it in a raid."

"We ain't the best at keeping track," said Clay with a shrug.

Raimundo walked inside and leaned against the kitchen doorway, raising an eyebrow. "Why does Jack need the Rio Reverso?" he asked, making the smaller leader jump.

Other Omi rubbed his neck. "He wishes to summon another dinosaur army. Such a threat no longer concerns me. I am powerful enough to take them down myself, but Jack does not seem to realize that."

"He must not be very wise in your universe if he thinks a few dinosaurs are enough to defeat you!" said Omi, beaming.

Other Omi smiled as well. "It is of the utmost importance that I retrieve this Wu from you. As much as it pains me to admit it, I am completely at Jack Spicer's mercy. He will not bring me back home until I have what he wants. I did not wish to ask for this, but may I take the Wu back to my world?"

"No problem, little partner," said Clay, rubbing Other Omi's bald head. "We gotta get you home somehow!"

Kimiko looked at Raimundo, whose eyes were narrowed at Other Omi. "What do you say, Rai? You up for some Jack Spicer butt-kicking?"

After a moment's pause, he looked back at her and smirked. "Always."

* * *

When Dojo passed over Jack Spicer's house, the five monks leaped from his back and landed in the front yard's tree. Crouching on his branch, Omi asked, "What is the plan, other me?"

Raimundo glared at the Wudai Warrior. Without looking over, Other Omi said, "I am certain that Raimundo knows what to do. You should ask him."

The small leader's words actually made Raimundo's mood worse, not better. His grip tightened on the bark beneath him, and he heard it crunch. Feeling a tap on his shoulder, he turned to see Kimiko leaning towards him. "Well, Rai?"

Raimundo let out a deep breath, and he finally said, "Let's just go for a sneak attack. No mess, no trouble."

"I could send him a virus," said Kimiko, holding up her PDA and grinning wickedly. "It would shut off any security cameras."

Raimundo chuckled. "Go for it, girl!"

Kimiko tapped at the device for a few moments and pointed it toward the house. For a moment, nothing happened. Then the PDA started to laugh evilly.

"What in tarnation?" said Clay. Kimiko grimaced as she typed frantically but to no avail.

A voice matching the one emanating from the PDA began to cackle from above. They looked up, and Jack Spicer drifted down to their eye level, helipack buzzing and hands on his hips. "Well, lookie here. More cheese heads than usual!"

"What did you do to my PDA?" growled Kimiko, thrusting the giggling device toward him.

"That's what happens when you try to hack an evil boy genius!" said Jack. Grumbling, Kimiko shut off her device. Jack threw his head back and laughed some more.

Omi said, "Do not fret, Kimiko. Your plan was still the same value as a bullet!"

There was a long pause. Even Jack went silent to put a finger on his chin. Raimundo snapped his fingers and grinned, but before he could speak, Other Omi said, "Worth a shot?"

The others gawked. When no one said anything, Other Omi turned to the Dragon of Wind. "The correct phrase is 'worth a shot,' right, Raimundo?"

"You…" Raimundo let his hand fall, wondering why he suddenly felt disappointed. "Yeah, that's right."

"As spectacular as it is to witness Omi make an evolutionary breakthrough in the language arts," said Jack, "I have to interrupt: JACKBOTS, ATTACK!"

The monks jumped down to the grass and braced themselves at the incoming robot army. Other Omi turned to his counterpart. "May I borrow the Orb of Tornami?" Omi blinked down at his Wu for a moment before he passed it to the Shoku Warrior. Other Omi held the Wu level with his shoulder blades. Then he lifted it high and shouted, "Orb of Tornami: Shoku Neptune Water!"

The Orb of Tornami erupted. With a single jet of water, Other Omi sent the entire Jackbot arsenal soaring across suburbia to crash into the neighbors' yards.

"Most amazing!" said Omi. "Was that a trick you learned as leader? Can you teach me?"

Tilting his head, Other Omi said, "I am sure you will acquire such strength once you become a Shoku Warrior."

Helipack buzzing, Jack Spicer landed in the yard and yelled, "You can take down my Jackbots, but I've still got one weapon left!" He lifted a bird-shaped Shen Gong Wu into the air. "Shadow of Fear!"

Purple fog billowed out from the Wu and whirled around the monks. Other Omi gasped and dropped the Orb of Tornami. "Oh, no. No no no no no…"

"What's wrong, dude?" said Raimundo, feeling a twisted satisfaction at Other Omi's sudden panic. "Even the great perfect leader is still afraid of squirrels?" As he spoke, he turned to face his own materializing fear, the enormous jellyfish monster.

Sure enough, a giant squirrel appeared in front of their Omi. A shape started to form in front of Other Omi, too, who was suddenly crouching down and hugging his knees, chanting, "No no no no, it's not real, he's not here, it's not real—" The fear in front of him opened yellow eyes and sprouted claws as it bared fangs down at the young monk.

"It's just a squirrel," said Raimundo, a part of him stunned at his own behavior. With a smirk, he added, "If you can't handle it, I know _I_ can take it down. I've already defeated my fears thanks to Hannibal B—"

The creature sprouted wings. Rising onto its hind legs above all the monks, the fear took form with a bellowing roar that made the earth tremble. The fears of the other monks shrank back at the sound, squealing. A beak-like jaw grinned upon the beast's horned head. It met eyes with Other Omi and hissed, "Wake up, boy."

Other Omi screamed, all sense leaving him. In utter panic, he turned and fled, running smack into Raimundo and gripping onto his shirt.

No longer finding anything funny about the situation, Raimundo braced himself against the new monster, holding Other Omi's shoulders. The creature took a step forward, whipping a long blood-red tail and stomping hooved hind feet. Raimundo gritted his teeth, and with this new foe facing him, his jellyfish fear vanished.

"You will fail, Omi," said the monster, and Rai thought that he recognized the voice from somewhere. "You will lose everything, and it will be no one's fault but yours."

Other Omi wailed. Raimundo spun the wind around them, preparing to send a blast at the creature. Then Clay jumped forward. "Reversing Mirror!" shouted the cowboy, holding up the Wu. In an instant, the monster vanished into a cloud of dark smoke. Jack shrieked as a giant toilet materialized below him. When he fell, the toilet flushed.

"Omi, dude?" said Raimundo. The small Shoku leader trembled and refused to look up. Raimundo felt sick to his stomach. "Look, dude, I—the things I said earlier, I…"

"What was that?" said Kimiko, still staring at the empty space where the monster had vanished. "That thing? Where did it come from?"

The four monks exchanged glances. The answer was obvious enough with the smaller leader hiccupping into Raimundo's shirt.

"Another Omi?" asked a deep voice, and the five looked up. Sneering down and dangling the Rio Reverso in one hand, Chase Young crouched upon Jack Spicer's rooftop. Wuya stood next to him, hands on her hips. Raimundo felt Other Omi's body grow tense, and then the boy pulled away from him, grabbed the Orb of Tornami, and spun into a crouch between the monks and the Heylin warrior.

"Chase Young!" said the original Omi. "What are you doing here?"

"Let's just say that a little bird told me to visit," said Chase. While he spoke, one of his crows dropped down from the clear sky and landed on his shoulder.

Raimundo noticed that Other Omi was shaking, and he said quietly, "Dude, we got this. I'm serious; you might need to sit this one out—"

"CHASE YOUNG!" Other Omi shouted, pointing up at the villain. "Surrender the Rio Reverso at once or—"

"Or prepare for a humiliating defeat?" asked Chase Young. "You are hardly different from this world's chosen one. Yet I sense a darkness in you, little warrior."

Other Omi was still trembling, but he now clutched the Orb of Tornami so tightly that Raimundo suspected it might crack from the pressure. "I should have known you would not heed my warning," Other Omi hissed, and he lunged. "Cheetah Chasing Gazelle!"

Chase Young crouched to leap out of the way, but he underestimated Other Omi's speed, and the two collided in the air. Forgetting his Shen Gong Wu entirely, Other Omi punched Chase Young square in the nose. Chase Young hit the dirt, and Other Omi bounced off. The Heylin Dragon scrambled to his feet, stunned at getting caught off-guard. With a snarl, he charged at Other Omi, but the small doppelganger shot a kick at Chase Young's neck, sending him flying backwards once more.

Wuya leaped at Other Omi from behind, but the boy aimed a jet of water at her without even turning around. The other monks watched, stunned, as the small Shoku leader tackled Chase Young again, striking at his face.

"Something tells me that Other Omi has some issues when it comes to Chase Young," said Kimiko.

"You said it," said Dojo. "As much as I enjoy watching this particular villain getting his butt handed to him, perhaps an intervention is in order?"

"I ain't about to hop into that mess," Clay said, watching Other Omi fling an enraged Chase Young over Jack Spicer's house. "That cue ball's madder than a tomcat in a flea bath."

Chase Young regained his footing and snarled, "Trying to get what you want with brute force? Not the style of a Xiaolin Dragon. Perhaps you would make a suitable fit on the Heylin side."

Aiming a kick or punch with each syllable, Other Omi shouted, "That—ploy—gets—quite—_old_—Chase—Young!"

At the last word, the Heylin Dragon caught Other Omi's fist in the air. The boy dangled, practically snarling. Chase Young said, "My, my, quite a temper you have, little one. Perhaps you should have a moment to calm down. Until then, I think I'll hold on to this." He waved the Rio Reverso in front of the Dragon of Water, pulling it out of Other Omi's reach just as the boy stretched out an arm. Tossing the monk onto Jack Spicer's driveway, Chase Young chuckled as he and Wuya disappeared in a cloud of purple smoke and a flash of lightning.

The other monks ran to Other Omi, who sat up and spun to face them. "We must go to Chase Young's lair immediately!"

"No way, dude," said Raimundo. "None of us are going anywhere until you explain what's going on."

"Rai's right," said Kimiko. "What was that thing that appeared with the Shadow of Fear?"

"And when did Chase Young spit in your corn flakes?" asked Clay.

"We have no time for explanations!" Other Omi snapped. "I must go to Chase Young's lair to retrieve the Rio Reverso. I need your help; I can lead you through the caverns."

Raimundo frowned. "No, Omi. You're coming back to the temple with us. I'm the leader."

Other Omi paused in his rage to look up at Raimundo. A conflicted look crossed his face, and he glanced at his counterpart, the original Omi. Studying the matching expression, he closed his eyes, sighed, and said, "You are not _my_ leader, Raimundo. I am in charge of my own missions." He straightened his arms at his sides and clenched his fists. "I will be going to Chase Young's lair, whether you wish it or no. And," he gulped and took several steps back, standing at the other side of Jack's front yard, "if anyone wishes to go with me, I would welcome their assistance."

Raimundo's shoulders tensed, and then his teeth scraped when their Omi immediately stepped toward his doppelganger. "Dude, what are you doing?"

"My other self needs assistance," said Omi. "I will help him retrieve the Rio Reverso."

Raimundo had been willing to consider going along with Other Omi's plan a moment ago, but now it was a power struggle, and he was not willing to lose it further. "I said we're going back to the temple," he said. "He's not your leader; I am."

"_He_ did not _order_ me to do anything; he requested it," Omi shot back. "That is why I am going with him!"

"Come on, Rai," said Kimiko. "Other Omi has defeated the Chase Young from his universe. Maybe if we go with him, we can do some real damage to the Heylin side."

"That's a mighty fine point there, Kimiko," said Clay.

Raimundo swallowed, trying to force back the bubbling knot in his chest. His friends were picking the new leader over him, and if he kept fighting, he risked humiliation to the newcomer. His eyes locked with Other Omi's, and the boy studied him right back. His expression was cold, and Raimundo realized that the boy knew exactly what he was doing, and furthermore, he knew he was winning.

He shrugged, trying to look nonchalant. "Fine, whatever," he said. "Let's get you that Rio Reverso." He avoided eye contact with the other monks as Dojo grew in size and let them hop onto his back. When the dragon lifted off the ground, ignoring Jack's spluttering when he climbed out of the giant toilet, Raimundo noticed that Other Omi would not look at anyone, either.

* * *

Thanks to Clay's Shoku element, breaking down Chase Young's door was not a problem. As the dust cleared, the five monks braced themselves for the jungle cats, but the palace seemed deserted. Luxurious fountains emitted clear, gleaming water, but they were the only sign of movement or sound in the cavern.

"No guards?" asked Kimiko. "That's strange."

"If we split up, we will cover more ground," said Other Omi. He looked up at Raimundo. "Correct? 'Ground,' not 'dirt'?"

"Yep," said Rai, expression pensive. He turned to the others. "That's a good idea, actually. You three go one way, and Shoku Omi and I will go another."

"You want to go with me?" said Other Omi, eyes lighting up.

"That plan sounds a bit half baked," said Clay. "What if Chase Young set up a trap? What if he finds us?"

"You guys can handle it," Raimundo said, waving his hand dismissively. He tapped Other Omi's head with his fist. "Come on, dude."

Other Omi grinned, and the two leaders broke into a run and disappeared down a hallway. Kimiko and Clay looked at each other. Kimiko said, "It's not like Rai to send us off on our own."

"You reckon he's trying to take our advice about being less protective?"

"Maybe." Kimiko frowned and sighed. "But I bet there's more to it than that."

"We can ponder over Raimundo's motives later!" said Omi. "Let's find the Rio Reverso first." The three nodded to each other and took off down another hallway.

Meanwhile, Raimundo and Other Omi reached a door and skidded to a stop. The smaller boy pulled at the doorknob; it was locked. Raimundo stepped back in preparation to kick it down, but Other Omi held up a hand. "Shoku Neptune Water-Ice," he murmured. At his command, a thread of water appeared, seeped into the keyhole, and solidified. The boy turned the tiny ice pick, and the door clicked open.

The two peered into the room, but it was empty. In fact, it looked disturbingly like a prison cell.

"No Shen Gong Wu in here," Other Omi said, stepping into the room and shrugging. He smiled back at the taller leader. "Worth a shot, though!"

"The Rio Reverso, huh?" asked Rai, hands in his pockets.

Other Omi's face fell. Hands clenching and unclenching, he looked down and said, "That is correct. Jack Spicer will want no other Wu. I am sorry to take it from you, but—"

"Really?" asked Raimundo. "Out of all the Shen Gong Wu we have, he wants the Rio Reverso."

"It is one of the only ones he cannot get from our own universe," said Omi, rubbing his neck, "just as I cannot retrieve the Cosmic World in yours."

"You're not a very good liar, Omi."

"L-liar?"

"I don't think Jack needs the Rio Reverso. In fact, I don't think he sent you here at all."

"You— you do not?"

"I think you came here with the Cosmic World on purpose. I think _you_ need the Rio Reverso."

"Why would I need it?" asked Omi, his voice rising an octave. "I have no desire for a dinosaur army."

"The Rio Reverso can return things to their original states," said Raimundo. "It fixes things." At Omi's incoherent mumble, he pointed and said, "You're hiding something. I don't know what it is. You may be acting all high and mighty and perfect. You may be letting the others think that you're so much better than me as leader, but I know better."

"I never said I was a better leader," Other Omi said to the floor.

"You screwed up, didn't you?" said Raimundo. "You made such a big mess that you had to cross universes to fix your own mistake. I'm right, aren't I?" Other Omi wrapped his arms around his stomach, fists clamped. "Yet thanks to you, our Omi is convinced that you can do no wrong. Why don't you do everyone a favor and quit inflating his head? You may be leader in your universe, but around here, I'm in charge, and I will _always_ be the best for the job."

Raimundo turned and left the room. He didn't hear the boy choke back a sob.


	4. Bluffing

_Author's notes: Sorry the update took so long. Originally, this chapter was going to be longer, but I'm still wrestling with the details of the next section._

_Thank you so much for all the faves and reviews so far! For those wondering about Other Omi, I promise that his backstory and purpose will be revealed... in time. Patience, grasshoppers!_

* * *

Kimiko, Clay, and Omi kept running as the hallway darkened until a faint red light flickered up ahead. The three dashed towards it, but when they reached the end of the hall, they found themselves facing a pit of lava. Far below, the molten rock smoldered and hissed. Thin stalagmites jutted out from the lava, possibly providing a path across the pit to a door at the other side.

"Seems a bit risky," said Kimiko.

The dots on Omi's head glowed, and he said, "My tiger instincts are leading me forward. I will jump through the pillars and get the Rio Reverso. You wait here—" He crouched and prepared to leap, but a large hand snatched him out of the air by the back of his shirt.

"Whoa there," said Clay. "We don't need a deep-fried Omi anytime soon. I'll handle this." Setting Omi back down, he lifted his hat and pulled out his elemental Shen Gong Wu. Securing it to his arm, he braced his feet and said, "Long Horn Taurus! Shoku Jupiter Earth!" He thrust his hands, and a horizontal column of earth erupted from their end of the pit, stretching out to the other side.

"Go, Clay!" said Kimiko, giving the cowboy a high-five.

Omi sulked. "I could have made it over there without your assistance."

"Work smart, not hard," said Clay, smiling as the three started the trek across the stone bridge. "We got Shoku powers, so we might as well use them."

"You mean _you_ have Shoku powers," Omi mumbled, kicking bits of rock as he went. "I do not."

"You'll be a Shoku Warrior soon," said Kimiko, patting his shoulder. Omi scowled, unsatisfied by her attempt to placate him, and swatted a rock off the edge of the bridge. As the heat rose around them in a thick, endless haze, he wiped the sweat from his forehead. Then the three heard a rumble below. With a sharp intake of breath, Omi glanced down. The lava began to splash and bubble, and suddenly a molten stream shot straight up at them.

"Great ghost of Dashi!" Dojo yelled, and the three bolted. The enchanted lava shot upwards in spurts, singing Kimiko's hair. Behind them, the bridge started to collapse in the heat. Omi could feel burns already spreading across his skin. Clay tripped, coughing, and Kimiko and Omi each grabbed an arm and yanked him forward. Before they could hoist him to his feet, a molten jet rose above in an arc, ready to plummet—

"Wudai Neptune Ice!" Omi yelled, summoning a frozen crescent above their heads. The lava dropped, cracking the ice and instantly melting it into steam. Still, the collision gave them the split second they needed to skitter out of the way. Reaching the other side, Kimiko shoved the door open, and the three barreled through. Clay kicked the door shut.

Panting in the cool air, the three collapsed while the door sizzled. Omi sat up with a cough, wincing at the burning sensation across his skin. Squinting at the sharp difference between the pale gray walls and the dark red of the room they just escaped, Omi pointed down the hall to where it turned a corner.

"Be wary, fellow warriors," he said. "We are most certainly nearing the Rio Reverso."

"Or a trap," said Clay, standing and brushing the soot off his jeans.

"Or both," said a voice from above. The three yelped, scrambling to their feet, and Chase Young dropped from the ceiling. Smirking and flipping his hair out of his face, he called, "Jungle cats, seize them!"

* * *

Raimundo had expected Other Omi to follow him, perhaps shouting an angry rebuttal, or maybe even wearing a defeated sulk. What he did not expect was for the kid to disappear entirely. After several minutes of silence and dead ends, the Dragon of Wind returned to the cell where he'd left the small leader, but Other Omi was no longer there. Just as Raimundo sighed in frustration, Chase Young's voice hit his ear, "Lost, are we, Xiaolin leader?"

Raimundo yelped and jumped back, raising his fists, but the Heylin warrior was nowhere to be seen. Ready to strike at an invisible opponent, the teen stood poised. Nothing happened. "Aww, man!" he said, lowering his arms. "First Wuya, then Jack, then Hannibal Bean, now you? What is it with you villains messing around in my head?"

Ignoring the question, Chase Young said, "If you wish for your friends to remain in one piece, I suggest you make your way to the atrium at once."

The voice was right next to him. Slapping a hand over his ear, Raimundo turned and kicked. His foot swished through empty air. Trying to keep his confusion from showing in his tone, he said, "How do I know that you actually have my friends, and you're not just bluffing?"

"I would think the fact that you can hear my voice is proof enough."

Raimundo took in a sharp breath. "The Shi Tan Whisperer." The last person who had that Shen Gong Wu was Kimiko. If Chase Young had it now… Raimundo bolted back toward the atrium.

The gurgle of endlessly rushing water soon overtook the sound of his footsteps racing across the stone floor. He stepped out into the open chamber, and there an army waited for him.

Jungle cats perched on every precipice, watching him hungrily. Fingers steepled, Chase stood at the top of the stairs under a domed structure. A dozen panthers crouched in a circle behind him, teeth clamped on taut chains that detained Kimiko and Clay back to back. Wuya had hold of Omi, whose hands were cuffed above his head.

Nodding toward the Dragons of Fire and Earth, Chase Young said, "These chains are no match for Shoku Warriors. Fire could melt the metal; a boulder could crush the links. But with those two standing so close, neither can escape without causing grievous harm to the other."

Kimiko and Clay glared at the Heylin warrior, but neither moved. Meanwhile, Omi was staring intensely at the nearby waterfalls, gesturing wildly at them with his feet, but the water would not heed his silent call. Raimundo stepped forward. All three warriors were marred with scorch marks, scratches, and tattered clothes. Voice tinged with concern, he said, "What happened, guys?"

"We ticked off a lava pit," said Kimiko.

Unlike the motionless Shoku Warriors, Omi kicked and struggled. "Chase Young merely caught us off-watch! Other Me will rescue us and defeat him most valiantly!"

Right on cue, Other Omi peeked around from the tops of a white pillar behind the Heylins. Crawling down as effortlessly as a grasshopper, he nodded at the taller leader, holding a finger to his lips.

Ignoring the first Omi and unaware of the second, Chase Young called down to Raimundo, "If you wish for me to release your comrades, you will tell me the whereabouts of the other Omi."

"Why?" said Raimundo. "Getting bored stalking the one we already got?"

"My reasons are none of your concern."

"If you want to know where he is," said Raimundo, "then why don't you ask him yourself?" Other Omi went rigid, eyes flashing in alarm, but the taller leader continued, "You have the Shi Tan Whisperer, and he's probably around here somewhere." He shrugged and glanced around at the multiple hallway entrances, giving no sign that he'd spotted the boy in question. Meanwhile, Other Omi sprang down and crept toward Wuya, who still struggled to keep their Omi still.

"You monks have been quick to accept Other Omi's words as truth," said Chase Young. "Has it occurred to none of you that his plan could be far more menacing than he has implied?"

"Other Me does not lie!" cried Omi. When Chase Young glanced at the young monk, Other Omi whirled around and ducked behind the pillar again. The Wudai Warrior said, "He has elemental powers; he is no imposter!"

"Be that as it may," said Chase Young, "your counterpart has a heart darker than your own. You four are fools to trust him." He turned back to Raimundo. "You have noticed, haven't you, young leader? The other Omi is secretive and evasive. He has told you little about his home or its condition, and yet you follow him blindly. Do not be so trusting. That monk is here for his own universe, even at the cost of our own."

Peeking around from behind the pillar, Other Omi shook his head frantically at Raimundo. Chase Young said, "If you wish to protect your friends—not only from me, but from the other Omi as well—then you will tell me where he is at once."

Other Omi was motionless. Raimundo's eyes flashed back and forth from the small leader to Chase Young, now with a choice to make. He knew that Other Omi was lying about his reasons for needing the Rio Reverso. Was Chase Young right? Could he not be trusted at all? Was his actual quest more sinister than he thought?

An image appeared in his mind, one of an enormous winged monster rising above them, roaring down at Other Omi, who was powerless to stop it—

"If Other Omi is only here for himself," he said, folding his hands behind his head, "then why would he tell me how he defeated you in his own universe?"

Chase Young sucked in a breath. Wuya's eyebrows lifted. Omi's mouth dropped open, and Kimiko tilted her head. Clay, the only one in the room to spot the bluff instantly, nodded slightly.

"Defeated?" said Wuya. Pinning Omi's wrists together in one hand, she put the other on her hip as she studied Chase Young. Grinning wickedly, she said, "You didn't mention that. Don't tell me you're _afraid_ of that little cheese-head clone."

"Hardly," Chase Young snarled, not looking at her. To Raimundo, he said, "That child could not possibly defeat me, not without obscenely mitigating circumstances."

"Then I guess it depends on whether using the Woozy Shooter on you is an obscenely mitigating circumstance." At the villain's blank stare, Raimundo added, "Because that's what he did."

Chase Young scowled and said, "My mind is far too disciplined to succumb to such a pathetic hallucinogen. And that assumes my opponent could catch me in the first place."

"Well, you couldn't exactly go anywhere since the Sweet Baby Amongus had you trapped in a giant golden diaper."

Chase Young sputtered—actually _sputtered_. Clay bit his lip and shook his head at Raimundo, who didn't care that his story was too ridiculous for anyone to take seriously. It was worth it to see the expression on the Heylin villain's face.

Meanwhile, Omi expected Wuya to start laughing. Instead, her hands suddenly convulsed, and he dropped to the ground.

He whirled around, but Wuya was literally frozen where she stood. Her fingers, the only part of her body not coated in ice, flexed and flailed like dying spiders. Other Omi stepped around from behind and carefully tinkered with Omi's handcuffs, watching Chase Young, who was too angry to notice the silent defeat of his "housekeeper."

"Do you really expect me to believe such an outrageous lie?" the villain snarled.

"Here's the best part," said Raimundo. "While your Woozy-fied counterpart strutted around like an intoxicated peacock, Other Omi used a move that took you down for good. He showed me how to do it, but I haven't had the chance to practice it—" He smirked as Chase Young's shoulders hunched, and the villain's body started to quiver, "—because it only works on your lizard form."

The shaking ceased. Chase Young said, "I am not so easily fooled by a bluff."

"Maybe I'm bluffing. Maybe I'm not." Raimundo pulled his hands out of his pockets and braced himself. "Care to find out?"

In answer, Chase Young lunged.


	5. The One Left Out

Raimundo crouched, fists raised, thinking fast but with no idea how to counter Chase Young's attack—

"Repulse the Monkey!"

A black-clad yellow flash struck Chase Young from behind, knocking him off course. The villain hit the floor, and the Rio Reverso clattered from his hand. When he looked up, his attacker sprang between him and Raimundo. Eyes wild and feral, Other Omi pointed and said, "You will get what is coming to you, Chase Young."

Before anyone could move, Clay said from the top of the staircase, "Now!" In one swift movement, he and Kimiko shifted their weight to their rights, breaking into a run. Moving in sync, the two spun, flinging the unprepared jungle cats in every direction. Clay yanked his arms apart, and the loosened chains clattered to the floor.

Raimundo's eyes flickered to the Rio Reverso. He and Other Omi jumped forward, but Chase Young grabbed the smaller leader by an ankle and threw him back. Other Omi smashed into Raimundo, and the two fell. With two of his opponents distracted and two more still running down the stairs to catch up, Chase Young reached for the Rio Reverso, but just as his fingers made contact, another monk touched it, too.

"Chase Young," said Omi—_their_ Omi, "I challenge you to a Xiaolin Showdown!"

Kimiko and Clay reached the bottom of the staircase, and Raimundo and Other Omi scrambled to their feet, but the four could do nothing but watch. Chase Young frowned at the Wudai Warrior and said, "Very well, but we will fight without Shen Gong Wu." He tossed the Shi Tan Whisperer over his shoulder for emphasis, and Kimiko snatched it.

"The game is Capture the Flag!" said Omi. "Whoever finds two of the three flags wins. Let's go: Xiaolin Showdown!"

The atrium erupted. Trees, bamboo stalks, and other greenery shot up from the ground, morphing the scene into a thick jungle. Donned with blue Xiaolin armor, Omi balled his fists. "Gong yi tan pai!"

He and Chase Young took off in opposite directions. Dashing through the foliage, Omi narrowed his eyes and focused. His tiger instincts flickered, sending him up into the canopy. Bounding from branch to branch, he searched. He heard rustling of branches nearby, and then Chase Young appeared, dashing straight toward a flash of red near the treetops. With a jolt of alarm, Omi realized that it was the first flag.

Even as he leaped after his opponent, he wondered, "What would Other Me do?" Remembering his doppelganger's ruthless attack from earlier, he changed course and made a beeline toward Chase Young, shouting, "Whale Smacking Ostrich!"

Before Omi's fist could make contact, Chase Young whirled around and snatched him out of the air. "You lack the anger of your Shoku counterpart," he said. Flinging the monk downwards, he added, "As well as the speed." Omi hit the jungle floors, and the villain snatched the first flag, which vanished with a pop. Chase Young peered down and said, "Your effort is admirable, little one, but you are no match for my superior strength."

Springing to his feet, Omi glared. "You once told me, Chase Young, that it is not the strongest opponent who wins, but the strongest willed. So let us find out who that is!"

Meanwhile, the monks watched from the edge of a cliffside overhanging the jungle. Raimundo glanced at Other Omi, whose Xiaolin armor was black and gold, just like his own. Gripping his knees, the smaller leader crouched, peered down at the battlefield, and said, "I was hoping to retrieve the Rio Reverso myself, but it seems I shall have to trust your Omi to win it for me."

Stuffing his hands in his pockets, Raimundo shrugged and said, "Sorry about that. The kid loves being the center of attention, even against the team's best interest."

Other Omi looked up at him with a startled expression. "What do you mean?"

"You've noticed it, haven't you? He's always trying to take on the most dangerous tasks even though he's still Wudai Rank. He argues against everything I say, telling me that I'm a bad leader when I'm trying to protect him."

For a moment, Other Omi's eyes went glassy and distant. "Yes… it is the leader's duty to protect his teammates…" He blinked; Kimiko was watching his expression with an eyebrow raised. With a sharp breath, he looked back down at his racing counterpart. "Perhaps something is upsetting him."

"I already know what's bothering him," said Raimundo. "He's not the team leader, and he thinks he could do it better than me. The fact that _you're_ here isn't helping." Other Omi winced at this. Kimiko frowned at Raimundo, shaking her head disapprovingly.

For a moment, the smaller leader offered no rebuttal. Then his eyebrows furrowed, and he said, "But your Omi is still Wudai Warrior, correct?"

"Uh-huh," said Kimiko.

"And you three are Shoku Warriors?"

"Yeah," said Raimundo.

"What are you getting at, partner?" said Clay.

Other Omi put a finger to his chin and said, "So one warrior ranks below all of his friends. Correct me if I am wrong, but wouldn't that situation be most unpleasant for the one left out?"

"What are you talking about—?" At a sudden realization, Raimundo's sentence evaporated in his throat.

_"A common non-apprentice mistake…"_

_"You are not yet ready to move on…" _

_"He was the last to become a Xiaolin apprentice, and no one thought he would make it!"_

Down below, Chase Young and Omi spotted the second flag at the same time. However, this time Omi was closer, and as the two raced, Chase Young slammed his foot into the earth. The ground cracked, and the flag flipped from its location. It spun in the air, passing over the monk's bald head. Omi summoned his elemental powers, and Chase Young reached up his arm—

The flag landed in Omi's outstretched hand. Chase Young blinked; Omi stood over him, crouched upon a curving pillar of ice. The flag vanished. Omi grinned and sprang back into the woods, leaving his mildly surprised opponent behind.

The Wudai Warrior caught the sound of rushing water. Following it, he reached a stream pouring into a gurgling pond. When his eyes narrowed, he saw a flicker of red within the waters…

There was a splash, and Omi glanced up just in time to see Chase Young disappear into the depths. In desperation, he flung his hands upward in an arch and called, "Wudai Neptune Water!" For a moment, the water only shivered a bit at the surface. But then the entire pond undulated and rose from the ground, dripping, leaking, and hovering over the monk. Embedded in the muddy ground was the third, untouched flag.

Palms facing upward, Omi took a cautious step. Before he could move further, Chase Young burst from the watery globe and landed in the mud.

"No!" cried Omi, and he charged. "Yak Grazing Clovers!"

Chase Young met his attack with a counterstrike. "Elephant Charging Wildebeast!" Lashing out repeatedly, with neither obtaining the upper hand over the other, the two dashed about under the floating pond, shouting battle cries of which the monks above could make no sense.

Raimundo said, "I can't see what they're doing through that giant glob of water."

"Is Omi holding that up _while_ fighting Chase?" Kimiko asked.

"That's mighty impressive," said Clay. "The little fellow sure can concentrate something fierce." Leaning back, still thinking about Other Omi's words earlier, Raimundo nodded slowly.

However, even while they spoke, the watery globe leaked and splashed upon the two fighters. Omi panted as he aimed a kick at Chase Young's head. The villain caught his leg. "This battle is over," he said.

With one swift movement of his arms, Omi shouted, "SHOKU WATER!"

At his command, the pond whirled around them and then slammed into Chase Young like a giant meteor. The villain flew across the muddy battleground and crashed into a tree. Omi regained his footing, dashed forward, and snatched up the final flag. "Victory is mine!"

The monks cheered. The green of the jungle faded, and suddenly Omi was back in the atrium, Rio Reverso in hand. His three teammates ran to him, whooping and congratulating him. Keeping his distance, Other Omi was practically bouncing with elation.

Standing and crossing his arms, Chase Young flipped damp hair out of his eyes and said, "Very well. If you wish to endanger our entire universe for the favor of a stranger, then that shall be your choice and your burden."

"Other Me is not a danger," said Omi.

"He has appeared out of nowhere," said Chase Young. "He offers no proof of his origins or his motivations. If he leaves with that Shen Gong Wu, you have no possible way of getting it back. Your blind trust has thrown you into trouble before, little one."

Other Omi was scowling at the villain, but when he realized that the monks had turned to stare at him, he tried in vain to mask it. For a moment, Omi was quiet. He looked back and forth between the villain he knew and the ally he didn't. All the while, the Rio Reverso glittered in his hands.

"Perhaps I cannot trust the Other Me," he said. Then his face brightened. "But I know who I _can_ trust." He turned to the taller leader. "Raimundo, should I give the Rio Reverso to Other Omi, or should I keep it? What do you think?"

Raimundo's mouth dropped open. "You're asking me?"

Omi drummed his fingers across the Rio Reverso, looking a little sheepish. "My behavior has been most foolish. By choosing to follow Other Me instead of you, I allowed my arrogance to get the better of me. However, you are the team leader, Raimundo, and I shall trust your judgment above all others'!"

"Aww," said Kimiko.

"After all," said Omi, beaming, "you have been a devious trickster before, and if anyone could spot one, it is you!"

"Aaaand it's ruined," said Kimiko.

Raimundo glanced at Other Omi, who was trying very hard to hide the desperation on his face. The small monk's fingers were trembling. The atrium was silent. Raimundo gave a long, heavy sigh. Crossing his arms, he smirked and said, "Promise to give it back someday?"

Other Omi's smile lit up his face. "You have my word as a Xiaolin monk: I _will_ return the Rio Reverso to you, and we_ will_ meet again!"

Raimundo nodded to the original Omi. "Hand it over, then." Omi trotted to his counterpart, and as the Rio Reverso fell into the other boy's hands, Raimundo could have sworn he saw Other Omi blink back tears of relief.

"As touching as this moment may be, young monks, you still have a rather severe problem." The five looked up at Chase Young at the top of the staircase, along with a freshly-thawed and quite angry Wuya. "You may have the Rio Reverso in your possession, but I have no intention of letting any of you leave my lair."

The four monks crouched, preparing for a formation attack, but Other Omi turned to Kimiko and asked, "What time is it?"

"It—uh," The fireballs at Kimiko's palms dissolved, and she pulled out her PDA. "11:38."

Dojo mumbled something about letting children stay up past their bedtime, and Other Omi said, "Are you certain?" He looked up at their opponents and smirked. "Because I thought it was time for Chase Young and Wuya to endure a most humiliating defeat."

"Cute," said Wuya, wrinkling her nose. "But I owe you some payback, little boy."

"Sorry, Miss Wuya, perhaps another time!" Other Omi glanced back at the four monks. "I apologize, but you shall have to move fast if you do not want to get hit."

"Hit from what?" said Clay.

Suddenly a bright swirling portal appeared right beside the tiny Shoku Warrior. As the monks stared, Jack Spicer's head popped out through the swirls.

"You got it?" he shouted at Other Omi, whose expression rose to utter glee when he held up the Rio Reverso.

Without hesitation, Jack stretched out an arm, holding a silver spherical object. Other Omi grabbed onto it and called, "Cosmic Finder!" As Jack pulled him back through the portal, the boy had time to snap his fingers and wink at the other Xiaolin Dragons before it closed completely.

The four monks stared at the empty space left behind. "Jack Spicer?" said Kimiko blankly.

"Wait," said Raimundo. "Other Omi was… telling the truth? About everything, the whole time?"

Suddenly the jungle cats began to screech. At their panic, Chase Young looked up, and everyone in the room instantly realized why the atrium had gone so silent, even the sound of rushing waterfalls had ceased. Every drop of water in the palace floated above Chase Young and Wuya in a giant globule, and now, devoid of a master to hold it up, it dropped upon the villains' heads like a mountain of bricks.

In an instant, Dojo whirled around the monks, scooped them onto his back, and soared to freedom.

* * *

Hours later, the monks were still too confused and restless to sleep. Although Omi attempted meditation on the temple porch, balanced carefully on his head with dots glowing, he could not shake the fear and worry caused by his counterpart's sudden farewell. Would Jack Spicer take the Rio Reverso and summon his dinosaur army in the alternate universe? After the exhausting feud with Chase Young, would Other Omi have the energy to fight them?

"Omi," said a familiar, elderly voice.

The young monk sat up, wincing at the bruises and burns serving as a painful reminder of the long day. He stood and turned, "Yes, Master Fung?"

The elder stood with his fingers entwined. Dojo was curled around his shoulders, keeping a clawed hand over his mouth as if fighting the temptation to blurt out exciting news. Raimundo stood at Master Fung's side, smiling at the small monk. Master Fung said, "Raimundo has told me a most interesting story of your quest today."

"Oh, yes, Master! We met a counterpart of myself. I wish you could have met him, but he was most insistent about obtaining the Rio Reverso as quickly as possible!"

"I understand, young monk. However, I was far more interested in the story of you achieving victory over Chase Young." Omi blinked, and Master Fung continued, "Raimundo says that you defeated him single-handedly using nothing but martial arts, cunning, and willpower." He turned to the teen. "Raimundo, could you go find Kimiko and Clay? I have a rather important announcement for all of you."

Air filled Omi's lungs as he gasped. When Raimundo ducked back inside, calling for the other two monks, Master Fung said, "It is not Raimundo's duty to decide when a monk is ready to rise to the next level of training. That role is mine alone. However," the elder smiled as Omi started to bounce on the balls of his feet, "considering your impressive accomplishment today, he has made a _strong recommendation_."

Raimundo, Kimiko, and Clay stepped out onto the porch, all three grinning with anticipation. Omi tried to cease his bouncing and maintain composure, but then Master Fung said, "After taking his recommendation into account, I agree. You are ready to rise to Shoku Warrior."

Omi slapped a hand over his mouth to muffle a squeak of joy. At Master Fung's words, the cerulean sash around his middle shimmered and morphed to gold, matching Raimundo's and the others'. He took a moment to admire the new color before he clapped his hands together and bowed, "Thank you, Master Fung! I shall not let you up!"

Raimundo snickered, deciding to let Omi have his moment rather than correct him.

Master Fung nodded. "Now that all four of you have risen to Shoku Warrior, you are ready for the next stage of your journey." He turned away and walked back into the temple. "Rest well, young monks. In the morning, I shall explain your most important quest yet: choosing a new Xiaolin apprentice."

* * *

Author's Notes:

And that concludes the first story arc!

About the Shoku robes for Omi: I forgot to mention what Kimiko's and Clay's robes looked like in the first chapter (oops!), and I wasn't sure how to change them. Originally, the sash was black but with the dragon-swirl thing added onto the sleeves. I thought about making their sashes yellow at first, but then I worried the yellow-and-red combo wouldn't be very aesthetically pleasing. Then kklemms on Tumblr did a fanart that soundly proved me wrong! [Link here: post/65199948253/this-is-how-i-would-imagine-xiaol in-chronicles-had] So consider the yellow Shoku sashes a shout-out to her!

Raimundo and Omi have gotten quite a bit of focus. Time to switch it up, don't you think?


	6. The Blog of GooZombiesSlayer

_Author update: New cover image, courtesy of kklemms on Tumblr!_

* * *

Although Omi was usually the early bird of the team, Kimiko was the first to wake the next morning. She had a feeling it had something to do with the boy's one-man parade around the temple the previous night. After picking out a fresh outfit and contemplating hair dyes for a while, she flung herself back onto her mat and opened her laptop.

Largely due to Keiko's insistence, Kimiko had been running a blog ever since moving into the temple. (It wasn't like the Xiaolins were a big secret; they had their own _search engine_, for crying out loud.) Logging in as GooZombiesSlayer, Kimiko scrolled to her most recent post, a recapping of the escapade that had promoted her to Shoku Warrior. She winced at the date; it was two months ago. She clicked through the comments.

_KeikoCutie said: Wow, you go, fire-girl! That Jack Spicer kid's still a creep, huh? Congrats on the promotion!_

_Anonymous said: are you going to post any more pictures of the boys? rai is sooooo hot_

_Anonymous said: Merveilleux! The Xiaolin Dragons prevail once more! I wish I were as courageous as you, Kimiko. Vos actes héroïques sont si impressionnants! _

_Anonymous said: are you dating raimundo?_

_Anonymous said: you should ask clay out he's sexy_

A scowl appeared on her face, and it deepened as she read dozens more comments about how hot the boys were and questions about which boy she was crushing on. Had anyone other than Keiko and the random French anon even read the story?

She logged out and shut the laptop, figuring she'd just email Keiko the story about Other Omi.

"Ai, girl!" called Raimundo from down the hallway. "You up yet? Master Fung's waiting for us."

Remembering the elder's departing words from last night, Kimiko sat up with a jolt and said, "On my way!"

When the four arrived in the meditation room, Omi ran to the center and was the first to sit down. "Good morning, Master Fung! Will you now tell us what you meant when you suggested the appointment of a new Xiaolin apprentice?"

The other three sat, and Dojo slithered onto Master Fung's shoulders. The elder folded his hands and said, "I meant exactly what I said, young monk. Now that you four are Shoku Warriors, you are ready to take a new Xiaolin Dragon into training."

Kimiko took a sharp breath. "Who is it?"

"I do not know yet," said Master Fung, "for it will be the four of you who make the decision."

Clay's eyebrows rose and disappeared into his hair. Omi said, "How are we supposed to find the fifth Chosen One? If there is only one person destined to join us, he could be anywhere!"

"Or she," Kimiko murmured, too quietly for anyone to hear.

"But that is not the case at all, young monk," Master Fung said to Omi. "Destiny does not choose a Xiaolin Dragon; rather, the Xiaolin Dragon chooses destiny."

The four exchanged glances. Then Raimundo said, "Did you just make that up, or did you get it from the Proverbial Desk Calendar?"

"There are many in the world who could become the new Xiaolin apprentice, just as there are many who could have become the Dragons of Water, Fire, Wind, and Earth." As he spoke, Master Fung handed each of the monks their elemental Shen Gong Wu. "You four are the Chosen Ones because I chose to invite_ you_ to the temple, but you are Xiaolin Dragons because you _accepted_ the offer."

Kimiko stared down at the Cat's Eye Draco, running her thumb over its green stone as she mulled over the teacher's words.

"In turn," said Master Fung, "it is now your duty to choose the fifth member of your team. However, whether or not they accept the role is entirely up to them. So choose wisely."

* * *

After his speech, Master Fung sent the Shoku Warriors off to do their chores. Upon Raimundo's suggestion that they meet up in the gardens afterwards, Kimiko rushed through her dusting and dish-washing. Still, by the time she went outside, Raimundo and Omi were already out there.

"What about Jermaine?" asked Raimundo, scuffing his foot against a weed. "He was cool."

"I fear that if Jermaine truly wanted to be a Xiaolin Dragon, he would not have left the first time," said Omi. "But perhaps we could persuade him?"

Kimiko interjected, "I think Master Fung wants us to pick someone new. Besides, we're looking for an apprentice, and Jermaine was already a Wudai Warrior."

"Well, Chase Young_ told_ him he was a Wudai Warrior," said Raimundo. "Doesn't mean it was true. But you got a good point. Maybe we should try someone we haven't before."

"Like who?" asked Clay, stepping outside and wiping his grimy hands on his jeans. "Just what the hootenanny are we supposed to be looking for in an apprentice?"

"We must find someone who is wise and brave and as close to our own competence as possible!" said Omi, raising a finger. "Raimundo, as leader, it is your duty to design a test for the apprentice, and only if he passes—"

"Or she," said Kimiko, crossing her arms.

Omi blinked. For a moment, his eyebrows furrowed and he looked like he was about to say something contradictory. He turned to her and said, "You think the apprentice could be female?"

Surprised that he sounded merely curious rather than dismissive, Kimiko said, "I hope so. It'd be nice to not be the only girl on the Xiaolin side."

"Yeah, the temple needs more chicks around," said Raimundo, nodding thoughtfully. At Kimiko's glare, he said, "What? I'm agreeing with you!"

"We're looking for a warrior, Rai. Not eye candy."

Omi was tapping his index fingers together and biting his lip. Finally, he took a deep breath and said, "Regardless, Kimiko, you should not be basing your decision on whether or not the apprentice is a girl. We are looking for the best candidate, and their gender should not be a factor at all."

He flinched back as if he expected Kimiko to blow up at him. Instead, she touched a knuckle to her lips and said, "You're right. We need someone with the best qualifications… whatever those are." For a moment, she considered advertising something on her blog. Then she remembered the majority of her anonymous readers, and she changed her mind with a shudder.

"Maybe we're meant to… sense it?" said Clay, shrugging. "Like some mystical 'tiger instinct' kind of thing?"

"Last time we tried using tiger instincts to track people down, it led to Omi's fake robot family," said Raimundo. Omi flinched, and Kimiko punched the Shoku leader's arm.

"This is not the same," said Omi. "We can choose anyone to be the new apprentice. I am not expecting to find any members of my family anytime soon." He looked up as if he expected the conversation to continue, but instead an unfortunately awkward silence fell upon the garden.

* * *

Several days passed, but the four monks made no headway with a plan to find a new apprentice. Kimiko finally caved and posted a quick sum-up on her blog, but she got the exact results she expected.

_Anonymous said: I'm so going to apply! How much will I get paid? I want to be the Dragon of Lightning, and I don't work weekends._

_Anonymous said: whoever he is, i hope he's hot post pics soon_

_Anonymous said: Ugh, I'm so jealous! I hope it's not a girl because I don't want anybody flirting with Raimundo!_

After that dead end, and with no other ideas, the monks took a trip to New York City.

Jermaine had left them a phone number and email address the last time they met, so he was easy enough to track down. He sent a text to meet him at the old basketball court where he'd first encountered them years ago. He was excited to see them, but he quickly shut down their offer to return to the temple.

"Naw, dawg. I got something called _school_. You heard of it? Algebra? Chemistry? Pronouns and gerunds? What do they even teach you in that temple anyhow?"

Omi said, "We learn all of those things! We just do not deem them as important as our Xiaolin duty to keep the world safe from evil."

"Fair enough, my man," said Jermaine with a chuckle. "But the Xiaolin lifestyle just ain't for me. Still, you guys came all the way out here. How about a game of basketball?"

The boys visibly perked, and they ran after Jermaine onto the shabby court. Kimiko rolled her eyes and strolled after them. She plopped herself down against a brick wall flanking one side.

"You're not going to play?" asked Jermaine, spinning the ball on a finger and tilting his head at her.

"I'm not interested in getting sweaty unless there's a Shen Gong Wu to win," said Kimiko. She spotted Omi opening his mouth to say something, but she'd learned how to predict his "because-you're-a-girl" statements ahead of time, so she added, "Whatever you're about to say, Omi, I suggest you rethink it carefully."

Sure enough, he gave it a moment's thought, and then he clamped his mouth shut.

Kimiko watched with a bored expression as the boys ran back and forth across the court, laughing and arguing. ("Using your element is _cheating_, Rai-dawg.") She found herself checking her phone every few minutes because as much as she liked Jermaine, watching a basketball game was just not her idea of fun. After about half an hour, she felt a tap on her shoulder. She glanced over to see Dojo holding up the Golden Tiger Claws.

"I've seen people more excited watching paint dry," he said.

"You don't think the boys will mind?"

"I doubt they'll even notice," said Dojo.

As if to prove the dragon's point, the boys suddenly launched into a furious debate over whether or not using a Shen Gong Wu counted as a foul. Kimiko gratefully took the Golden Tiger Claws and said, "I'll meet you back at the temple."

Once she was home, she considered changing clothes and going shopping. However, once she reached her room and sat down in front of her clothes rack, the idea fizzled and died. She was usually just fine shopping on her own, and maybe it was just the fresh memory of the testosterone overdose she'd left behind in New York City, but right now, she really wished there was another girl at the temple to go shopping with her. Omi did have a point; she shouldn't vote on an apprentice based on their gender. But she couldn't help but feel relieved that Jermaine had no interest in returning. After several moments, she finally sat up with a sigh and decided to practice some battle tactics with the Cat's Eye Draco instead.

Stepping outside, she was so lost in thought that she almost didn't hear the faint whizzing sound rapidly approaching from the distance. She looked up just as the source zoomed through the temple entrance, whirled onto the grounds, and slammed right into her.

Kimiko yelped as she fell. "What was that?" she yelled, whirling around and crouching in preparation for battle. "Who are you? What's your problem?"

"_Lo siento mucho- Je suis tellement désolé_—I, um—"

Kimiko's mouth dropped open. Standing up, dusting off his robes, and babbling apologies in dozens of European languages, was a familiar, tinier, bald-headed monk.

She gasped. "Other Omi?"

"I am so very sorry!" said the boy, his voice as high-pitched as a chipmunk's. His fingers were frantically scrabbling across the dirt. "I was not paying heed to where I was going—I was so excited to finally arrive, I—" His hand finally clamped onto something opaque and green on the ground. Kimiko blinked in confusion as he set the pair of large green glasses over his face. When he looked up at her, he squeaked in shock and slapped a hand over his mouth.

"K- Kimiko!"

"You recognize me? So you _are_ Other Omi," she said. "You look smaller than before."

The boy blinked in confusion. "I am not Omi," he said. "I am not nearly as talented or brave or intelligent as Omi. Oh, no! _Me llamo_ Boris Antonio Rolf Jean-Pierre Gaulle LeGrand IV." At Kimiko's slightly overwhelmed expression, he added, "But you can call me what you like."

"You're… not Other Omi?" she asked. It made some sense; he wasn't wearing the black Shoku leader robes. But he _was_ wearing the red ones, along with a yellow sash. "So what's with the get-up, then?"

"I—I—" the boy flushed and looked down at his clothing. "I made them myself! I wanted to look just like my hero!"

"Well, you pulled that off pretty well," said Kimiko. "You could pass off as Omi's twin, honestly."

"Omi? Oh. Yes, I suppose I do look more like him."

"Were you trying to dress like someone else?"

"Just the robes," the boy said, eyes ducking downward again as he blushed a bit. "After all, you have many outfits, and I think I would look quite silly in most of them."

"Wait," she said. "You made the robes so you'd look like… me? I'm your—? Why me?"

"Because you are Kimiko, the Xiaolin Dragon of Fire!" said the boy. "You trapped the troublesome Sibini in the Mosaic Scale and Monarch Wings! You overthrew Panda Bubba's plot to take over your father's company! You single-handedly defeated Chase Young _and_ Hannibal Bean by tricking them into fighting each other, and you are the only monk who has ever won a Xiaolin Showdown against _die böse Hexe_, Wuya!"

Flabbergasted, Kimiko asked, "How do you know all that?"

The boy fidgeted a little. "I read your blog."

Kimiko leaned back, putting a hand on her hip and mentally piecing a few things together. "You're the French anon."

"You noticed me?" Ping Pong asked, hands on his cheeks.

"You're here to apply for the apprentice position?" she asked. When he nodded shyly, she said, "Well, the boys won't be back for a while. How about I show you around until they get here? You could meet Master Fung, and see the, uh, the kitchen…?"

The boy—if possible—grew even more ecstatic at this suggestion. Springing up and down like a yellow bouncy ball, he said, "You would really show me the mighty Xiaolin temple? I will get to see Master Fung and Raimundo and Clay and Omi and Dojo in person? _Oui oui_, I accept!"

"Right this way, then!" she said, taking his hand. Leading him through the front doors, she said, "Sorry, but what did you say your name was again?"

"Boris Antonio Rolf Jean-Pierre Gaulle LeGrand IV."

"Right. Um, how about I just stick with 'Boris' for a while?"

"_¡Desde luego_, Sister Kimiko!"

* * *

Author's Notes:

So as you guys can probably tell, I am not even remotely multilingual. I relied on Google Translate for Ping Pong's bits of French, Spanish, and German. However, I know that Google Translate can be a ferocious liar, so if any of the phrases are incorrect, please let me know so I can fix them!

(Credit goes to ChipmunkFanatic for Kimiko's blog name. In fact, she also gets credit for naming the Shi Tan Whisperer.)

As usual, please feel free to review! I thrive on constructive criticism.


	7. Ping Pong's First Test

For the next hour or so, Kimiko and Boris toured the Xiaolin Temple. The boy scampered after Kimiko like a golden retriever puppy, asking dozens of questions about the obstacle course, the bedrooms, the garden, and even the bathrooms. When he started inquiring about the vault as well—"Do you open it by tapping the bells in the corner? Is it a certain tune?"— a few red flags shot up in Kimiko's head, but the boy did not seem aware of his intrusiveness. Still, remembering the last few apprentices and how many of them had turned out traitorous, she kept her answers vague.

The other Xiaolin Dragons did not return until late in the afternoon. By then, Kimiko and Boris were in the kitchen, discussing diets.

"Nah, Omi's the vegetarian," explained Kimiko, pointing at his spot at the table, "but not all of us. I don't think Clay would last a week without a hotdog."

She looked up when she started to hear the boys' voices from down the hallway. Boris heard them, too, and gasped. "Are those the other Xiaolin Warriors?" Kimiko nodded, and Boris clapped his hands over his mouth in anticipation.

They heard Clay saying, "You're just mad that you lost to Omi."

"_We_ lost to Omi," said Raimundo. "And I got most of our points, you slowpoke."

"You are just jealous that you lack my angry skills!" said Omi.

"I reckon it was Jermaine who had the _mad_ skills, partner. That's why your team won."

"Whatever, I am starving—"

The boys entered the kitchen, and then they all came to a stop at once when they spotted Boris, who smiled and waved timidly.

"Other Omi?" said Raimundo, wiping sweaty hair out of his eyes.

"You're back already?" said Dojo from atop Clay's hat.

"Other Me!" said Omi, crestfallen. "What happened to your Shoku leader robes?"

Boris blinked rapidly, one eyebrow raised, and he looked back at Kimiko for a moment before saying to the boys, "I… I am not an 'Other Omi.' Me llamo Boris Anto— Boris. My name is Boris."

"Right," said Raimundo, frowning and crossing his arms. "So where did you come from?"

"The Monastery of St. Martin," said Boris, beaming. "In fact, I traveled a lot—"

"Sure. You don't happen to be afraid of any large flying animals, do you?"

Boris's face fell. "Oh. I, um. W- why would I be afraid of such things? It would be ridiculous to fear any large birds— with their sharp beaks— and claws and…" He backed away and leaned against Kimiko's leg, now looking quite embarrassed.

She glowered at the leader. "Really, Rai? He's too little to be Other Omi. Don't be such a jerk."

Omi ran to his shyer look-alike. "Then you are a Smaller Me! This is most excellent! What brings you to the temple, my tiny new friend?"

Boris smiled and timidly offered a hand for Omi to shake. "I was hoping you would consider me for your new Xiaolin apprentice. I would be honored to join my heroes in the fight against evil!"

Taking the presented hand and shaking it rapidly, Omi said, "Most wondrous! The position is yours."

"Whoa there, partner," said Clay. "No offense to the little guy—er, littlest guy—but we can't be too hasty."

Omi paused. Then he whirled around and said, "You are correct, Clay. I was leaping the pistol! First, little Boris must pass a test, one that Raimundo has devised for this occasion." He wrinkled his nose and added, "Hmm, 'Boris.' The name does not sound like a fearless warrior. It may cost you apprentice points."

"I am quite sorry!" said Boris. "I was given many names from the monasteries where I grew up. You can give me another one if you wish."

Omi put a finger to his lips and considered the newcomer. Before he could think of something, though, Raimundo said, "You up for a challenge, kid?"

The boy bobbed his head. "I shall do my best!"

Raimundo directed the others outside to the obstacle course and then ran back inside. While waiting, Kimiko had her hands on her hips, foot tapping nervously. She could tell that Raimundo was suspicious of the newcomer, and she didn't want him to give the boy an unfair test. Unaware of the concern for him, Boris began to ask Omi how and when he became a Shoku Warrior, a subject of which Omi was only too happy to talk about.

Clay turned to Kimiko and asked in a low voice, "So what do you reckon?"

"He knows a lot about us," said Kimiko. "He reads my blog."

"GooZombiesSlayer?"

"Yeah, I—" Kimiko's face paled. "You read it, too?"

"Rai found it. It wasn't supposed to be a secret, was it?"

"I—I guess not," she said, deciding against asking whether Clay read the comments. "So, yeah. He knows about us. He says he learned some martial arts in Europe, and he used to be an errand boy. He hasn't mentioned any parents."

Still on Clay's hat, Dojo asked, "What would his parents have to do with it?"

"Look at him," she said, gesturing to the two bald monks. "He could be related to Omi! Whether he becomes an apprentice or not, if we figure out where he came from, we could get some clues about his and Omi's family!"

"May be a long shot," said Clay. "But you got a mighty fine point there."

Kimiko pursed her lips, studying the two bald children. Neither were listening to their conversation; Omi was teaching Boris the Leopard Strike attack. They continued to bounce around the obstacle course as Raimundo stepped back outside, and Kimiko raised an eyebrow at her leader. He was holding objects that she had definitely not expected: two water balloons.

"Yo, Shrimp," he called. At once, Boris dashed back to where the other monks waited. Raimundo said, "This challenge will test your speed. Here's your weapon." He dropped one of the balloons into Boris's outstretched hands, and then he tossed the other to Omi. "And there's your opponent. First Cue-ball to get soaked loses."

"Rai," Kimiko hissed. "That's not fair! Omi's the Dragon of _Water_."

"Kimiko is right," said Omi. "I do not see the point in imposing such a humiliating defeat on my new friend this easily. After all, I am the most experienced Dragon in training, and one with control over water, to shoe."

"To boot," said Raimundo.

Boris examined his balloon for a moment, and then he looked up and said, "I shall try! Your challenge sounds quite fun,_ senhor_ Raimundo!"

The leader raised an eyebrow. "Portuguese? Not bad, but no brownie points. And losing won't disqualify you; I just want to see your best attempt. So Omi," he said, smirking at the boy in question, "_don't_ go easy on him."

Omi responded with his own smirk. "I did not plan to." With that, he and Boris stepped out onto the obstacle course near a cluster of bamboo poles. The smaller boy kept his eyes on his opponent while he walked, holding his balloon close to his chest, while Omi sauntered and tossed his balloon from left hand to right. Then the two stopped and faced each other.

"Gong Yi Tan Pai!" Omi shouted. In an instant, Boris dashed into the maze of bamboo poles, leaving nothing but a trail of floating dust in his wake. Startled, Omi's mouth opened soundlessly for a moment before he ran after him.

Clay said, "Whoo, that little fellow's speedier than a jackrabbit on hot coals."

Nodding in agreement, Kimiko turned to Raimundo. "Why the water balloons? You could have given him any challenge at all, and you went with this one."

"I'm trying to figure something out," said Raimundo, one arm crossed over his chest and the opposite hand touching his jaw. He did not take his eyes off the bamboo poles. Although they couldn't see the battle entirely, they did catch flashes of yellow as the two boys dashed from pole to pole.

"What?" said Kimiko. "You think this has to do with Other Omi?"

"If you do, I don't blame you," said Clay, shrugging. "Two kids who both look like Omi, both real humble, both afraid of some flying critter, both arrive at the temple within a month of each other? It would be a mighty fine coincidence."

"Exactly," said Raimundo, nodding.

"You two are both paranoid. Is that it, then? You're trying to see if Boris slips up and uses elemental powers on the water? What will that prove?"

"That someone's trying to trick us. What if the Cosmic Finder doesn't take you to an alternate world? What if Other Omi was not an Omi at all? What if he was someone else, someone who can wield water just like Omi, but he's in cahoots with Jack Spicer to get our Shen Gong Wu?"

"That doesn't make any sense, Rai! Boris doesn't _sound_ like Other Omi, he doesn't _act_ like Other Omi, and besides, if he were working with Jack Spicer, then why would he adopt the same—disguise or whatever—to come back as an apprentice applicant?"

Raimundo narrowed his eyes, still watching the battle. "I don't know," he finally admitted. "But something weird is going on around here. I'm sure of it."

They heard an odd twanging sound, and they looked over to see one bamboo pole in the bunch vibrating from some collision. Then Boris yelped and bounded out of the fray, empty-handed. Omi leaped onto the top of the tallest pole; he still held his balloon.

"Did you miss, Shrimp?" called Raimundo.

Boris rocked on the balls of his feet, looking up at his adversary. Omi grinned, holding out his empty hand, and a small glob of water floated up to hover next to him. Boris said to Raimundo, "No, he cheated! He's not letting the water touch him!"

"I never said that was against the rules," said Rai, chuckling. Boris shot him a panicked look before fleeing the jet of balloon water that Omi flung his way. The jet whipped around and chased after him. He dashed toward the temple garden, weaving in zig zags. Reaching a young cherry tree, he threw himself behind it. The water jet smashed into the trunk, scattering in hundreds of flecks and sinking into the parched ground.

"No matter," said Omi. "I have learned to draw water from the earth, and I can easily get it back." He stretched out his hand, still holding his own balloon with the other, and drops of water eased their way back to the surface.

As Omi focused on the task, though, Boris called, "Sister Kimiko? Do you have the Arrow Sparrows with you?"

Kimiko's eyebrows lifted. "Yeah."

"May I borrow one of them, _s'il vous plaît_?"

"Uh, sure." She trotted to their nearby chest of mystical weaponry and grabbed the decorated purse. Pulling out one of the golden birds, she added, "You can't use it, though; you're not a—"

Boris did not wait for her to finish her sentence. Racing from his hiding place, he snatched the Arrow Sparrow and ran around the bamboo poles. Omi gritted his teeth as he tried to keep an eye on Boris without losing concentration, but the floating droplets of water wavered. Boris leaped onto the bamboo poles, and Omi gave up and whirled around, lifting his balloon high.

But Boris was too fast. He jumped clear over Omi and stabbed the Arrow Sparrow's tail into the water balloon. With a pop, the water fell, and Omi was soaked. Boris hit the ground with an "oomph!" The Arrow Sparrow bounced from his hand and landed near the monkey bars. Omi's jaw dropped.

"He won," said Raimundo, eyes widening in surprise.

"Nice moves, Boris!" said Kimiko, bending down and giving the kid a high five when he ran to her.

"_Merci_, Sister Kimiko!" said Boris. He turned and added, "Sorry for kicking your buttocks, Omi."

Walking toward them, the soaked Dragon of Water was frowning and studying the newcomer carefully. "I was most befuddled by your ping-ponging across the court. From now on, I am going to call you… Ping Pong."

The smallest boy gasped. "_Fantastique_! Thank you, Brother Omi! I shall bear my new name with great pride."

"Looks like we could be wrong about the littlest partner," said Clay, turning to Raimundo. "Kimiko's right; he's probably not connected to Other Omi after all."

"If I may," said Ping Pong. "Who is this 'Other Omi' of which you keep speaking?"

Before Raimundo could answer, Omi launched into the story of his visiting counterpart. Ping Pong's eyes grew round while he listened, until he finally said, "He sounds like quite a mysterious person!"

"And he never did tell us why he hated Chase Young so much," said Clay. "Nor about that flying critter he feared."

"I'm still really curious," admitted Kimiko. "Why would Omi be afraid of some horned monster with hooved feet? I mean, it practically looked like a flying goat."

"Ah," said a deep voice above them, "but some foes are far more dangerous than they appear, are they not?"

The monks whirled around and looked up, crouching into defensive positions. An enormous shadow slithered over the temple, and another dragon landed upon the field. The monks stared until the man who had spoken stepped off the dragon's back, brandishing his signature spear.

"Master Monk Guan!" said Omi, running to his baldest living idol. He pointed at the dragon. "And who is your friend?"

"You don't even recognize me, little squirt?" said the lime green dragon. "That's insulting, that is." He put a finger on his chin. "Though I guess it's been a year or so, and I might be hard to recognize without the toupee."

"Chuckie Choo?" Dojo shrieked. "But you—you've—!"

"Gained weight?" asked Chuckie Choo, looking back at his tail. "Yep, sure have. Nothing like a healthy temple lifestyle to ruin your gorgeous figure." He gave a dramatic sniff and said, "I'm going to miss my Hawaiian shirt."

Master Monk Guan chuckled. "As you can see, young monks, Chuckie Choo has adapted well as our temple dragon."

"And none of you visited me," said Chuckie, pouting.

"Sorry, dude, we've been saving the world and junk," said Raimundo.

"But you can fly now, right?" said Omi. "So you can visit us!"

"Ooh, I can do more than that!" said Chuckie, shrinking down to usual size. Upon inspection, he still had a bit of a gut in his smaller form. "Thanks to the Guan man doing some crazy mystical whatsamahoosit, I can do a magic trick. A real one!"

"Oh, really?" said Kimiko. "What kind of trick?"

"If I may," said Master Monk Guan, before Chuckie Choo could answer, "I overheard a discussion of a flying goat-like creature?"

"You missed it, Guan," said Raimundo. "Another Omi from a parallel universe showed up- or at least, that's who he _said_ he was- and Jack used the Shadow of Fear on him, and it turned into this monster with bird wings, goat feet, and a dragon's head."

"Oh my," said Master Monk Guan. "It seems like this other Omi must have encountered the Heylin Demon."

"The what?"

Before Master Monk Guan could answer, Master Fung appeared at the doorway and said, "Perhaps this is a conversation best carried inside."

* * *

Author's notes:

Thank you so, so much for all the reviews, follows, and favorites! Nothing I've written on has gotten this much attention before, and I really appreciate all the feedback!

About Ping Pong: I'm going to try to keep his character as true to his Chronicles counterpart as possible, but there will still be some alternate character interpretation. Since he's more Kimiko's fanboy than Omi's here, his dialogue will be slightly different (because I'm convinced that part of the reason he talks so similarly to Omi in Chronicles is because he's trying to emulate his idol). In addition, he's going to have a couple extra character flaws that will be revealed later. To anyone who's deeply attached to Ping Pong, let me know how well I'm handling him, and to everyone reading, feel free to review!


	8. The Heylin Demon

After everyone was seated in the meditation room, Master Monk Guan began, "The Heylin Demon rose to power 1,500 years ago."

"It seems like everything happened 1,500 years ago, doesn't it?" murmured Raimundo. Master Fung gave him a stern look, and he bowed his head a little, the curve of his mouth still twitching upwards.

"This creature fed off of the chi of others. Consuming their souls, this creature only grew stronger from each victim. It did not need an army, manipulation, or battle tactics. It was just that strong."

Omi leaned forward eagerly. "What happened?"

"The creature attacked my village," said Master Monk Guan. "I was just a young teenager then. It consumed my father, and then it came after me and my mother."

"Wonder if she looks like him," whispered Raimundo, leaning toward Clay and grimacing. He shrunk back again after Master Fung glared at him a second time.

"The two of us were without hope," said Master Monk Guan, "but then…"

* * *

The village was in flames. Smoke billowed into the night sky as buildings were set ablaze. People ran every which way, seeking escape from their attacker. Screams of terror pierced the night air. Then a dark creature dove from above, swooping over Guan's crumbling village with a screech.

Guan fled with his mother. He clutched her hand and dragged her along behind; she was delicate and fragile, less than half his size. She stumbled as a roar echoed overhead, and they whirled around, clutching each other.

Upon a pile of burning debris, the demon landed and folded its black wings, grinning down at the two. Standing on four legs, it stomped a back hoof and dug a clawed front foot into the charcoal, baring its teeth. It didn't speak. Lashing its long tail, it crouched down, and Guan's mother jumped in front of him before he could shove her out of the way. The demon struck.

Guan fell back as the creature ripped her from his grip. Jaws passing through her chest like a ghostly shadow, it then tossed her body aside, slurping up a glowing silvery substance. She collapsed limply into the dirt, eyes glassy, chi stolen from her body.

Crawling to the last of his family, now gone, Guan clutched her to his chest and glared up at the demon, who turned to face him. Guan knew there was no hope for him; entire armies had fallen to this immortal monster. No force could defeat it, not even a Xiaolin Dragon.

But that didn't mean he couldn't try.

"Wudai Crater Earth!" he shouted, lifting his foot and slamming the ground. A pillar of rock shot up from below the demon, striking it in the stomach. The creature was flung into the air, but it spread its wings and stopped its ascent as if Guan had barely swatted it.

"Wudai Mars Fire!" another voice said, and the burning piles around suddenly became weapons. The fire rose from the collapsed houses and whipped at the roaring beast, who swatted the flames away with a beat of its wings.

Guan looked up at the cause of the voice. Standing upon a collapsed temple rooftop, Chase clenched his fists. At his side stood their teacher, Grand Master Dashi, who studied the angry monster with a detached, quizzical expression.

The demon roared, and Guan shouted, "You must escape while you can! We cannot defeat it, even as a team. We are not strong enough."

"That has not stopped us before," said Chase, "and I will not allow a foul beast to defeat me!" He lunged at the demon, brandishing balls of fire in each hand.

Dashi jumped, too, but he landed next to Guan, watching the demon as it wrestled with Chase. Guan stood and shoved his mother into Dashi's arms. Before Guan could speak, Dashi looked down at her and said, "Thanks. Not my type, though."

"She's my mother," said Guan. "You must take her out of here. I do not know how to awaken her, but she is helpless. The demon could hurt her further. Chase and I shall fight it while you escape."

Dashi raised an eyebrow. "Why won't she wake up?"

"We don't have time for this, Dashi. Leave at once!"

"But why won't she wake up?"

"It took her chi, Dashi! Get out of here!" Guan resisted the urge to shake him by the shoulders.

"If her chi's already gone, then I don't really see what you're so worried about."

"_Dashi_!"

"Hold that thought," said Dashi, dropping the woman back into Guan's arms. He turned to face the demon, who was still preoccupied with the swiftly moving and quite angry Chase. Spreading his feet shoulder-length apart, Dashi took a deep breath, closing his eyes and holding out one hand. He started a low chant that Guan could not understand, and at his command, shards of broken, melting metal rose from the ashes around and hovered in front of him. As he opened his eyes and turned his palm towards the metal, it began to bend, stretching and taking shape into a spear, and at the top formed a gleaming golden crystal.

As the weapon neared its completion, it began to glow brighter than the flames, catching the Heylin Demon's eye. Tossing Chase aside with one swat of its tail, it turned to face the Xiaolin Dragon. Snatching the new Shen Gong Wu out of the air, Dashi glanced at Guan.

"What do you think I should name this one?" he asked.

"Dashi!" said Guan.

"Flattering as that sounds, I already got one named after me," said Dashi, grinning and pointing at the Eye of Dashi tied around his neck.

"Look out!" shouted Chase.

"How about—" The demon lunged, and Dashi pointed the Shen Gong Wu at it. "Pneuma Crystal!"

Out of the crystal erupted a blade of light, slicing through the shrieking demon's chest. Shards of silver splintered out from the demon's back, curving in the sky. Many came flying right back down, landing upon their human bodies. One beam of light soared straight down to land upon Guan's mother. She opened her eyes and clutched his shoulder.

"Guan , it was so cold, I—" She cowered against his chest at the sound of a furious bellow. The demon stood on its hind legs, spreading its wings and shrieking at Dashi, who had his left hand held out and was pointing at some more swirling metal floating next to him.

"I may not be strong enough to defeat you," said Dashi, "but I can sure slow you down." He then reached out with his busy hand and grabbed the second Shen Gong Wu, this one shaped like a sphere. He held it out in front of him, facing the demon, and he shouted, "Chi Splitter!"

He twisted the Shen Gong Wu, and it split into two swirling sides. It blasted a pale light upon the demon, who roared even louder. Guan watched the monster's wings start to lift from the rest of its body, and the demon split into two halves. The winged half grew a new tail, talons, and a beaked head, feathers covering its new body. The hooved half collapsed, front feet turning into hands. Its face melted from a dragon's snout to a goat's. Before Guan's eyes, a roc and a satyr now stood.

The giant bird shrieked, and the satyr lifted its head and snarled at Dashi, who lifted more debris into the air. Seeing the metal take shape a third time, the satyr's eyes widened, and it leaped onto the roc's back. The two retreated, leaving Dashi the victor.

* * *

"So wait," said Raimundo. "If this Heylin thing was so powerful, then how come we've never heard of it? Dashi's famous for defeating Wuya, not a demon."

"But you _have_ heard of this creature, Raimundo," said Guan. "You have even fought him before." The five monks exchanged confused glances.

"Wait, do you mean the Chi Creature from the Ying Yang World?" asked Kimiko. "But that thing wasn't a satyr."

"No," said Guan. "The Chi Creature is not a force of evil. But the Heylin Demon was, and its power rivaled even Wuya's. Dashi could not destroy it, but he could weaken it. With its essence split into two halves, the Heylin Demon was no longer capable of consuming chi. However, it craved the corruption of human souls. Over time, the satyr learned how to communicate, and furthermore, it learned the importance of manipulation."

* * *

"I sense a darkness in your heart," said the satyr. The roc stood behind him, ruffling giant feathers with a toss of its head. The dying moon hovered overhead, casting flickering light on the three in the forest.

Chase stood across from the satyr, shoulders squared. "You are wrong. Soon, I shall be a Xiaolin Dragon."

"Then—" the satyr began to falter, "you will never be happy unless you leave there."

"Are you trying to persuade me to the Heylin side?" asked Chase, hands on his hips. "You are terrible at this." He smirked before turning away. "As if _I_ would join the Heylin side. Dashi was right; you are hopeless without your powers."

The satyr snarled. As the giant bird lowered its head to growl an agreement, he said, "It seems we will need some practice before he can persuade him…"

* * *

Guan continued, "As the years passed, the satyr followed Wuya's lead and dove into the practice of dark arts. It learned that the consumption of dragon flesh can lead to the corruption of one's chi, shifting alliances to evil and consuming your body with transformative properties. Do you remember when I showed this to you long ago, while you were all apprentices?" Master Monk Guan held out an old book to the four Shoku Warriors. On the open page was an illustration of Chase Young accepting the Lao Mang Long soup from a satyr, and a blazing fire rose above them in the background.

"Wait," said Clay. "This satyr critter invented the Lao Mang Long soup? But I thought…"

"Before the creature could persuade Chase to take the soup, Dashi caught wind of his plan. He created another Shen Gong Wu, one designed with the single-handed purpose of weakening the two creatures into forms so feeble, they became practically harmless. The roc was transformed into a parrot. The satyr became a bean."

"A bean?" said Ping Pong, not noticing the other four monks' mouths fall open. "Why a bean?"

"Because the creature had invented the Lao Mang Long soup," said Guan, "and Dashi thought it would be amusing to turn Hannibal into a potential ingredient."

"Hannibal Bean?" said Omi. "The Heylin Demon is _Hannibal Bean_?"

"Not quite," said Guan, "Hannibal Bean is half of the Heylin Demon: the cunning half. The patient, manipulative half. His partner, Ying Ying, is the animalistic, ruthless half. Together, they form an invincible monster."

"Raimundo locked away Hannibal Bean his first day as leader," said Kimiko. Realization dawning, she said, "But in Other Omi's universe, Hannibal Bean never got locked up because _Omi _became leader, not Raimundo. That's why he's afraid of the Heylin Demon; Hannibal Bean could still rise to full power there!"

"Or he already has," said Raimundo, concern flashing across his eyes.

"I'd rather get my butt kicked than my soul eaten." said Clay, shuddering. "Makes me pretty darn grateful that we only have Chase Young to worry about…"

* * *

Chase Young scowled. None of the monks had spotted the crow perched on a beam above their heads, sending their entire conversation to the giant Heylin Eye, but he did not appreciate the unflattering comparison between him and Hannibal Bean.

"What a shame," said Wuya, standing near. "They hardly gave _me_ any credit for turning you to the side of evil."

"That is because you do not deserve any credit," he said. "I chose this path on my own. No one 'corrupted' me, especially not that little pimple."

"Oh, really?" said Wuya, leaning in close with a smile. "So when I stole your Xiaolin element, you just shrugged it off? The loss did not upset you at all, did not leave you with a desperate craving for new power?" Chase Young turned his scowl to her, but she was not intimidated. "Dashi should have known of my potential to turn the Sun Chi Lantern against you and Guan."

"I do not need to wield any elemental powers to plunge this world into ruin," said Chase Young. "You gained the abilities to wield both fire and earth, but Dashi defeated you regardless."

"Perhaps," said Wuya, "but then again, you made sure to take your fire and Guan's earth for yourself when you gave me my body back. Is there something you're not telling me?"

"You should thank me. Elemental powers are crutches, just like Shen Gong Wu."

"Whatever you say, Mr. Heylin-Memory-Recall." With that, she strutted from the room, swaying her hips as she went.

Chase Young watched her go with gritted teeth. Then he turned back to the Heylin Eye. The Xiaolin monks were still discussing Other Omi and the Heylin Demon, but Chase Young's eyes were drawn to the newcomer. Ping Pong was sitting awkwardly at one end of the room, watching the monks chat. Every now and then, he would lift an index finger and open his mouth as if to add his own two cents, but the monks did not notice, so he let his hand fall.

With a new target, Chase Young smirked and began plotting how to use the boy's insecurities to his own advantage.

* * *

Author's notes:

Have you guys ever noticed that the book Guan has in his and Chase's debut episode does not depict Hannibal Bean? The picture is of Chase Young taking the soup from a satyr. So I pretty much took that image and ran with a new headcanon. In fact, this entire chapter is fueled by my personal headcanons. As always, feel free to review and critique!


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